Molecular survey of neglected bacterial pathogens reveals an abundant diversity of species and genotypes in ticks collected from animal hosts across Romania.

Background: Ticks are transmitting a wide range of bacterial pathogens that cause substantial morbidity and mortality in domestic animals. The full pathogen burden transmitted by tick vectors is incompletely studied in many geographical areas, and extensive studies are required to fully understand the diversity and distribution of pathogens transmitted by ticks.

Results: We sampled 824 ticks of 11 species collected in 19 counties in Romania.

Babesia, Theileria, and Hepatozoon species in ticks infesting animal hosts in Romania.

Babesia spp., Theileria spp., and Hepatozoon spp.

Canine tick-borne diseases in pet dogs from Romania.

Background: Tick-borne diseases are of substantial concern worldwide for animals as well as humans. Dogs have been a human companion for millennia, and their significant impact on human life renders disease in dogs to be of great concern. Tick-borne diseases in dogs represent a substantial diagnostic challenge for veterinarians in that clinical signs are often diffuse and overlapping.

Co-infection with 'Candidatus Neoehrlichia mikurensis' and Borrelia afzelii in an Ixodes ricinus tick that has bitten a human in Romania.

Despite the vast importance of ticks as disease vectors, the infectious agents transmitted by ticks are still incompletely known in many areas. Here, we report for the first time the detection of the bacterium 'Candidatus Neoehrlichia mikurensis' in Romania, in an Ixodes ricinus tick obtained from a human. Furthermore, the tick also had a co-infection with Borrelia afzelii.

First evidence of Anaplasma platys and Hepatozoon canis co-infection in a dog from Romania--a case report.

Anaplasma platys was first identified and described in North America as a Rickettsia-like, platelet-specific organism in dogs with infectious canine cyclic thrombocytopenia. In Europe, A. platys has so far mainly been described for some Mediterranean countries.